Rheumatism Weed (Noun)
Meaning 1
North American perennial having pinkish flowers in loose cymes; used in folk medicine for pain or inflammation in joints.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
Canadian dogbane yielding a tough fiber used as cordage by Native Americans; used in folk medicine for pain or inflammation in joints.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- Traditional healers would often harvest the rheumatism weed to make medicinal infusions that helped to soothe the aching joints of elderly patients.
- In many Native American communities, rheumatism weed was a highly valued plant, not only for its fiber but also for its use in treating arthritis and fibromyalgia.
- The elderly woman taught her grandchildren how to identify rheumatism weed growing in the wild and how to use it to make a tea that relieved her aching back.
- Early settlers in the region adopted the Native American practice of using rheumatism weed to create durable cordage that resisted rot and wear.
- A patient suffering from chronic joint pain was prescribed a tea made from rheumatism weed by a traditional healer, with remarkable results in reducing her inflammation.